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Raptors, Tyler Ennis dismiss concerns about pressure for first Canadian drafted by Toronto’s NBA team

There has been a school of thought that taking a Canadian-born player in the first round might create undue expectations.

Projected NBA lottery pick Tyler Ennis meets the glare of media lights during a press conference at the Air Canada Centre before going to the Raptor's practice court. (Chris So / Toronto Star) | Order this photo

They’ve never done it and may not get a chance to next month but any concerns about any excess pressure on the first Canadian draft pick for the Raptors is unfounded.

There has been — and in some circles still is — a school of thought that taking a Canadian-born player in the first round might create undue expectations but Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri and point guard Tyler Ennis of Toronto say it should never be a factor, that the days of worrying about the novelty of that scenario are long, long gone.

“I think anybody that’s lucky enough to play in Toronto with the fan support that was shown in the playoffs and the great organization that the Raptors have, I think anybody that gets drafted here is lucky,” Ennis said before the one-and-done teenaged Syracuse guard went through his first team workout at the Air Canada Centre.

“To have a Canadian would be great for the city, I think everybody would get behind him and I think it would just be a great opportunity.”

That speaks to the skill level of the possible Raptors picks more than anything. No self-respecting NBA general manager would waste a draft pick just to pay homage to or celebrate a player’s nationality.

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Ujiri said the depth of Canadian talent would make it so that any homegrown product Toronto would take — and it would mark the first time in the franchise’s 20-year history that it would have happened — would be done entirely on merit and any draft pick would have the skills to handle the selection and the attention it would bring.

“No concerns at all,” he said. “I think this has been a good process for the Canadian kids, I think the last few years a kid has gone No. 1, kids have played in the league, I don’t think it’s anything new any more for them.

“In terms of playing in Toronto for the Raptors? I don’t think so, we try to make things as comfortable (as possible) for them and bring them in; if we are lucky to get one as they go through the process I think it’s very simple.”

And now, because of the depth of Canadian talent, any player would be skilled enough to handle it rather than bow to demands of friends, family and high expectations. Past Raptors regimes have at times shied away from looking at even Canadian free agents because of the possible distractions; the lone Canadian to ever play for the Raptors remains Jamaal Magloire, the current assistant coach who was signed near the end of his career as much for his leadership skills as anything.

There was no pressure to perform, nor any expections on him like there would be for a draft pick.

“I can see why people would say that but I think there’s going to be pressure regardless,” said Ennis. “If you’re getting drafted, people are expecting you to come in and produce and whether that’s your hometown or not, there’s going to be pressure.”

It remains highly unlikely that the Raptors would be able to use the 20th pick in the June 26 draft on any of the seven Canadians who are eligible. Andrew Wiggins is projected as a top three pick at the very worst and Mississauga’s Nik Stauskas and Ennis are seen as likely choices between say, seven and 15.

Ujiri said “I’d be surprised” if Ennis fell to Toronto at 20 so the Thursday workout was an exercise in optics (good for a hometown kid to work out here, good for the team to get him in and reap some publicity) as much as anything.

“It’s more important to fit,” Ennis said of the draft slot. “There’s people that could go high and not fit in on a team and I think it’s more important to end up on a team where you’re needed and you’re able to be successful rather than being a high number draft pick. It’s tough for a player because you don’t get to choose where you go and you’ve just to go hope you find up in the right spot.”

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